THERAPEUTIC VALUE OF MEDICINAL PLANTS USED IN BURKINA FASO TO TREAT MALARIA: IDENTIFICATION OF ANTI-PLASMODIAL AND ANTIPYRETIC ACTIVITY IN EXTRACTS OF CANTHIUM HENRIQUESIANUM (K. SCHUM), GARDENIA SOKOTENSIS (HUTCH) AND VERNONIA COLORATA (WILLD)

Plasmodium falciparum malaria is the most common cause of death in Burkina Faso. The persistence of drug resistance makes the disease difficult to be controlled. The reliability of indigenous herbal drugs may be helpful. In Burkina Faso, the decoctions of Canthium henriquesianum Schum, Gardenia sokotensis Hutch. and Vernonia colorata Willd. are used to treat malaria. The study objective was to evaluate the antiplasmodial and the immunomodulatory activities of these plant extracts and to check the relevance of their use. Canthium henriquesianum exhibits a moderate antiplasmodial and antipyretic activity. A bio-guided fractionation of the diisopropyl ether extract for the isolation and the identification by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) of the active principle are on going.